Whether you've never heard of William Faulkner or the mere thought of Faulkner fills you with dread as you flashback to high school English, Oprah's Book Club is here to help you navigate the twists and turns of As I Lay Dying.

Things to Look For:

Characters often express conflicting opinions and contradicting sides to the same story.

Look for changes in typeface, when the text goes from "normal" to "italic." Usually it indicates a shift in perspective or a character's inner thoughts.

When the characters are most earnest, the most absurd things seem to happen.

If You Get Lost:

Check to see whose name was at the beginning of the chapter.

Go back to the last place you remember the story made sense and reread.

Ask yourself, "Where is Addie?"

More in Faulkner 101 Get the most out of your reading with more advice on how to approach the works of William Faulkner in general from a Faulkner fan from way back.